Dhoni has to keep performing to be part of 2019 World Cup squad, says Harbhajan at Agenda Aaj Tak

MS Dhoni has scored 716 runs from 26 matches at an average of 65.09 in 2017.

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Ranit Das

December 2, 2017

UPDATED: December 2, 2017 23:20 IST

(India Today Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

Harbhajan said Dhoni has to keep performing to be a part of the World Cup

He has scored 716 runs from 26 ODIs at an average of 65.09 in 2017

Laxman backed Dhoni and said that he will play an important part in the World Cup

India spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have to keep scoring runs if he has to make it to the playing XI in the World Cup in 2019.

Harbhajan, speaking at Agenda Aajtak in New Delhi, said that 2019 is far away and the world cup winning captain has to keep performing to be a part of the squad.

"World Cup is far off. One year is a lot and in Indian cricket, there are a lot of changes every day. Who will be in form that time. Experience is there but form and everything matters. Dhoni is a big player but World Cup is far off and Dhoni has to keep performing to be a part of the 11," said Harbhajan.

"Dhoni has to keep getting runs and if he does that then there is nobody bigger than him, Kohli has handled him well," he added.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly also backed Harbhajan and said that the World Cup is far away and he needs to perform.

"2019 is far off, so like Bhajji said, Dhoni has to keep scoring runs," Ganguly added.

However, VVS Laxman backed MSD and said that he will play a huge role in the Indian squad for the World Cup in England Virat Kohli needs to handle him the way he has been till now.

"I don't think Kohli is protecting Dhoni. He's above all that and he has a very important role to play in the 2019 World Cup. Kohli is handling Dhoni very well...much like Sourav handled Sachin when he resigned from captaincy," Laxman said.

"Kohli is giving the right opportunities to MS Dhoni and he takes help from him. He has no ego and I feel Dhoni will have to play a huge hand," he added.

Dhoni, 36, has been in great form this year after handing over the captaincy to Kohli. He has 716 runs from 26 ODIs at an average of 65.09.

Dhoni, who is on a break now, will return to play under Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI series, starting December 10 in Dharamsala.

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